There is a need for lighting apparatus for a variety of general lighting purposes which is low-cost and energy-efficient. LED light sources are energy-efficient, and advances in LED technology are providing even greater efficiencies over time. One important aspect of LED light fixtures is the so-called secondary lensing that directs light received from LED light sources. As used herein, the term “LED light source” refers to an LED or a small grouping of LEDs alone, or more typically to what is referred to as an LED package—namely, an LED (or small grouping of LEDs) with what is referred to as a primary lens formed thereon. Secondary lenses, which receive and direct light from LED light sources, are of significant importance to LED light fixtures in many ways.
Secondary lenses play a major role, of course, in the direction of light from a light fixture, and so determine the degree and spread of illumination, and overall optical efficiency. The forming and shaping of secondary lenses are typically important considerations with respect to the usefulness of an LED fixture, and play a significant role in overall product cost. Improvements in secondary lensing members, their optical capabilities, and their manufacture are important considerations in the field of LED light fixtures.
LED light fixtures for a wide variety of both specific and general lighting applications typically have a plurality of LED light sources, usually positioned in spaced relationship to one another on a board (e.g., a circuit board), and a secondary lens is aligned with each LED light source. Such secondary lenses are in some cases part of a one-piece optical member that has a plurality of secondary lens portions each surrounded by and interconnected by a non-lens portion. Improvements in such multi-secondary-lens members, the optical capabilities of the secondary lens portions, and the manufacture of such members are important considerations in the field of LED light fixtures. More specifically, speed (and therefore cost) and accuracy of manufacture are particularly important considerations.
With the rapid development of high-performance LED lighting fixtures for a wide variety of general and specific lighting tasks and with the varying requirements for secondary lensing in such fixtures, there is a need for a system which enables quick and accurate manufacture of one-piece optical members each having different requirements for their secondary-lens portions.
It would be beneficial to provide secondary lensing, one-piece multi-lens optical members, and LED light fixtures which are low in cost as well as highly accurate in directing LED light, and which contribute to the overall economy and efficiency of LED light fixtures.